Andrew Aplin
| AB | 2888 |
|---|---|
| AVG | .264 |
| OBP | .362 |
| SLG | .383 |
| HR | 51 |
- Full name Andrew Ahyim Aplin
- Born 03/21/1991 in Vallejo, CA
- Profile Ht.: 6'0" / Wt.: 205 / Bats: L / Throws: L
- School Arizona State
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Drafted in the 5th round (159th overall) by the Houston Astros in 2012 (signed for $220,000).
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Aplin sets himself apart because he's one of the best defensive center fielders on the West Coast. Even though he has just fringe-average foot speed, Aplin gets great jumps and always takes proper routes to balls. He has a strong, accurate arm. Aplin has a 6-foot, 200-pound frame and some strength in his lefthanded swing, but he's a below-average hitter with gap power. He has good bat control, as he's struck out just 38 times over 446 college at-bats. Unless Aplin makes strides with his bat, his profile is that of a fourth outfielder.
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
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With Carlos Gomez and Colby Rasmus heading into the final year before free agency, Aplin may need to bide his time, but his combination of above-average defense in center field and his contact-oriented approach should get him to Houston before too long. Aplin could fall into a starting position on a lesser team, but for a playoff club he fits best as a fourth or fifth outfielder who can play all three outfield spots thanks to an above-average, accurate arm that plays in right. An average runner, his range and defense play up thanks to good routes and reads. Aplin has very little power with a line-drive swing--his hits usually fall in front of the outfielders-but he works counts, rarely strikes out and takes his walks. Aplin has walked more than he's struck out in his pro career. Added to the 40-man roster in November, he heads back to Triple-A Fresno. -
Aplin has moved quickly since signing for $220,000 in the Astros' deep 2012 draft class. He reached Triple-A Oklahoma City at the end of 2014 and added reps in the Arizona Fall League, playing all three outfield spots for Surprise. Aplin profiles as an extra outfielder, given his defensive prowess, high-energy playing style and flawed offensive game. He has a high-maintenance, lefthanded swing that starts with a pronounced leg kick. He consistently has produced below-average power and derives most of his offensive value from his excellent strike-zone discipline. He's an average defender whose route-running and instincts serve him well in center field. Aplin likely won't hit enough to be a regular, but he could be a contributor. He should start the year back at Triple-A. -
Some players pass the eye test with pretty swings and an abundance of tools, even if they never develop into productive baseball players. Then there's a player like Aplin, a 2012 fifth-rounder, who doesn't do anything all that conventionally but is quite productive nevertheless. He has a high-maintenance, lefthanded swing that starts with a pronounced leg kick. That leg kick means he has to get everything started a little quicker than is ideal, and he's not direct to the ball. But he has enough feel for hitting and good enough hands to generally time his swings properly, and he has excellent barrel control that keeps him from striking out. Aplin's numbers got a boost from the hitting environment at high Class A Lancaster--his OPS was 233 points higher at home--but he might profile as a useful top-of-the-order hitter because of his contact and on-base skills. Defensively he's an above-average center fielder, despite average speed, thanks to great reads and jumps. He has an average arm. Aplin could wind up as a regular center fielder on a second-division team, but his tools seem to fit better as a versatile extra outfielder. -
When he was Cardinals scouting director, Astros GM Jeff Luhnow and his staff excelled at finding college players whom other clubs regarded as organization players or fringe big leaguers but wound up as prospects or big league regulars. Allen Craig, Daniel Descalso and Jon Jay are just a few examples. Houston has several college players from the 2012 draft whom they believe can follow the same successful path. A fifth-rounder signed for $220,000 in June, Aplin draws comparsions to Jay. As one club official put it, Aplin has average tools and well above-average feel for the game. That makes for a good quote, but his tools actually are a bit better than that. He's no burner, yet Aplin impresses scouts with great reads and smooth, easy routes in center field that make him a plus defender. Aside from his glove, his arm strength might be his best pure tool, earning some 55 grades on the 20-80 scouting scale. Aplin controls the strike zone well and makes consistent line-drive contact. He has below-average power, though he slugged .493 in his pro debut compared to .454 in three years at Arizona State. He's a smart baserunner who's a threat to steal despite fringy speed. A strong start with Tri-City prompted an August promotion to Lancaster, where he replaced George Springer in center field, hit third and the JetHawks to the California League championship. Aplin has a fourth outfielder's toolset and already has hopped on the fast track. He's likely to return to high Class A to start his first full pro season.
Draft Prospects
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Aplin sets himself apart because he's one of the best defensive center fielders on the West Coast. Even though he has just fringe-average foot speed, Aplin gets great jumps and always takes proper routes to balls. He has a strong, accurate arm. Aplin has a 6-foot, 200-pound frame and some strength in his lefthanded swing, but he's a below-average hitter with gap power. He has good bat control, as he's struck out just 38 times over 446 college at-bats. Unless Aplin makes strides with his bat, his profile is that of a fourth outfielder.
